Youzhny makes early Hamburg exit

HAMBURG, Germany, May 12 (UPI) -- No. 10-seeded Mikhail Youzhny dropped a straight-set match in opening-round play Monday at the $2.9 million Masters Series tournament in Germany.

The claycourt event in Hamburg is one of the final tune-ups before the French Open begins May 25.

Youzhny was ousted in the first round by Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-2 with Verdasco dominating. He broke Youzhny's serve four times in the romp.

No. 14-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga started off as though he was going to join Youzhny as he lost the first set without winning a game. But he pulled out the second set in a tiebreaker and was sharp in the third for a 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win.

Two other seeded players advanced Monday with No. 12 Juan Monaco leading 6-1, 4-0 when Filippo Volandri retired with a knee injury and 15th-seeded Andy Murray beat Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-1.

Also Monday, Michael Llodra beat Argentine Guillermo Canas 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 and Albert Montanes dismissed Mardy Fish 6-1, 6-3. Other wins were turned in by Ivo Minar, Simone Bolelli, Juan Ignacio Chela and Olivier Rochus.